Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 316 The Town of Southern China
Donating money to relieve family distress?

Liu Shan silently observed this regent, Li Yan, until Li Yan's hair stood on end and he broke out in a cold sweat, before slowly speaking:
"I never expected that Minister Li would have such a heart to serve the country. I am very pleased. However, the court has its own laws and regulations. How can I ask a minister to donate his family fortune to relieve the difficulties?"

"However, since Minister Li came so late at night for this matter, it is clear that he is very eager to help the country in distress. He can go to the Treasury Department to purchase treasury bonds in accordance with the regulations."

At this point, Liu Shan suddenly smiled calmly, as if joking with a close minister, and said, "However, I must remind Minister Li that these bonds are limited. If you really want to subscribe, you should line up early, otherwise you may not be able to get what you want."

After the successful implementation of national bonds in Guanzhong, in order to ensure fairness, the Prime Minister's Office set a rule that even if court officials wanted to purchase national bonds, they had to purchase them in the same order as ordinary people, and had no priority.

This was done both for the sake of fairness and to protect officials who had no surplus wealth, so that they would not have to bear political pressure.

Seeing the emperor's calm expression and approachable tone, Li Yan became even more flustered. Without a second thought, he instinctively knelt down, banging his head on the ground and sobbing as he spoke:

"Your Majesty! All the past misdeeds were caused by my own madness and incompetence!"

"This guilty subject has failed the late Emperor's entrustment, unjustly received Your Majesty's great favor, and is ashamed of the Prime Minister's expectations. Since entering Chengdu, I have thought about these things repeatedly and am filled with remorse!"
"The Great Han Dynasty is currently facing a turbulent time. This unworthy subject dares to beg Your Majesty to grant me permission to serve as a magistrate in the barren lands of the south, to pacify dissent and guard this remote and dangerous region! Even if I suffer from miasma and be stabbed by barbarian swords, I will gladly accept it! I only ask to use my old and frail body to share Your Majesty's burdens and serve you to the death!"
"I no longer seek power, position, or rank; I only wish to repay even the slightest kindness of the late Emperor and Your Majesty with this guilty body, even in the face of ten thousand deaths, to atone for my past sins!"

Even though Liu Shan was mentally prepared, he was still taken aback when Li Yan asked to go to the southern region to serve as a magistrate.

Although the Prime Minister's campaign in the south was a great victory, not all the people of the south were loyal to the Han. Only the two prefectures of Zhuti (Zhaotong) and Jianning (Kunming), which were closer to Shu, settled down.

Meng Huo and Meng Yan of Zhuti, and Cuan Xi of Jianning, all submitted to the Han Dynasty and are now its civil and military officials.

Despite the Han Dynasty's series of victories in the north and east expeditions over the past year, news of rebellions by the Yi people still frequently came from the three southwestern prefectures of Yuexi (Liangshan), Yunnan (Lijiang), and Yongchang (Tengchong). As a result, although the three counties had prefectural and county governments, the prefects and magistrates mostly did not go to the prefectures or counties, but instead governed in a relatively safe place on the border. The so-called prefects and county magistrates were mostly just empty titles.

However, it would be inaccurate to say that it was all just a nominal title. Because Li Hui, the governor of Yijiang, was stationed in the south, these three prefectures and counties would send tribute to the court every year, including local products such as rhinoceros hides, gold and silver, lacquer, and oxen.

It was similar to the Protectorate General of the Western Regions. With a large army stationed there, the locals were willing and obligated to pay tribute. The prefects and magistrates still had some work to do.

Generally speaking, this meant assimilating the barbarians, promoting education, changing customs, developing agriculture, and selecting pro-Han leaders like Cuan Xi, Meng Huo, and Meng Yan, granting them high-ranking positions and generous salaries.

Li Yan is now requesting Liu Shan to let him go to the southern region to serve as a magistrate, which clearly means he does not mean to be a magistrate or chief of a county in name only.

Instead, the goal was to move the county seat from the safe zone back to the actual location of the prefecture, such as Qiongdu, the seat of Yuexi Prefecture, to establish effective administration for the Han Dynasty, establish authority, and recruit and pacify rebels.

It has to be said that Liu Shan was somewhat tempted.

The Han dynasty relocated powerful clans in the south, such as the Meng, Yong, Lou, and Cuan families, and their followers to Chengdu. The original intention was to weaken their power and eliminate the foundation of local separatism. However, this seriously affected the fundamental interests of the local powerful clans. They temporarily submitted, but once the central control weakened, they would seek opportunities to restore their original power and separatist autonomy.

In any case, the southwestern border region is still uncivilized. The Han Dynasty's prefecture-county system is in fundamental conflict with the original tribal system in the southwest. The officials dispatched by the court are trying to implement the centralized prefecture-county system, while the local tribes are accustomed to the self-governance of their leaders.

Forcibly transplanting such a highly developed system of prefectures and counties to the wild and undeveloped southwestern region would inevitably lead to continuous friction, and it would take hundreds of years of accumulation to achieve success.

The Prime Minister also clearly stated in his "Memorial on Dispatching the Troops":

"Now that the south is pacified and our troops are well-equipped, we should lead our armies north to pacify the Central Plains."

The Han Dynasty actually regards the Southern Region as a strategic resource area of ​​the country. In recent years, it has been conscripting soldiers such as the Wudang Flying Army, as well as local products such as gold, silver, cinnabar lacquer, oxen, and dwarf horses from the Southern Region.

The continuous and intensive extraction of human and material resources will inevitably arouse public resentment.

The so-called assimilation of barbarians, the promotion of education, and the transformation of customs were seen by the barbarians as Han Chinese looking down on them from a superior position. This inevitably triggered spiritual resistance from the local barbarians in order to maintain their identity with their own shamanistic and ghostly culture.

The mountains and forests of the south were high and dense, the emperor was far away and transportation was extremely inconvenient. The military and administrative forces of the Han Dynasty could not cover every corner for a long time and effectively. Local forces could easily re-establish their own independent regimes after the army withdrew.

The cycle of betrayal and surrender, surrender and betrayal, will continue to occur in the South.

Who has the ability to govern the south?

Li Hui was talented, but he needed to manage the army. The mountains and forests in the south were dangerous and the supplies were hard to keep up with, so he could only deter them from afar and could not penetrate deep into the south.

Ma Zhong has this talent.

But Wuling needs Ma Zhong more now.

Besides, who else?

It seems there's no one left.

Does Li Yan have the ability to govern the southern region?

There probably is.

The "Shu Ke" was co-authored by him, the Prime Minister, Fa Zheng, Liu Ba, and Yi Ji, and it still serves to restrain powerful clans in the Han Dynasty.

In the twenty-third year of Jian'an, the late emperor fought for Hanzhong. Ma Qin and Gao Sheng of Guanghan raised an army in Qi County, recruited tens of thousands of rebels, and advanced on Chengdu.

At the time, Li Yan was the governor of Guanghan. Without waiting for the court to send additional troops, he led more than 5,000 soldiers from his prefecture to suppress the rebellion. He then killed Ma Qin, Gao Sheng and other rebel leaders in one fell swoop. The remaining tens of thousands of people scattered and fled to their homes to live as ordinary people.

After the major defeat at Yiling, Gao Ding, the Yi chieftain of Yuexi Commandery, led his army to besiege Xindao County, where the prefect was located. Li Yan, who was the prefect of Yuexi at the time, led his army to the scene and relieved the siege. The rebel army was defeated and fled.

The Prime Minister praised Li Yan, saying that he was "as swift and decisive as flowing water, and his actions were swift and unhindered."

It was these events that led the late emperor to summon Li Yan to Yong'an to oversee military affairs both inside and outside the capital after the disastrous defeat at Yiling, and ultimately to entrust him with the responsibility of fulfilling his duty as regent.

After the late emperor's death, during his tenure as governor of Yong'an, Cao Wei and Sun Wu repeatedly tried to recruit him, offering him the position of Duke, but he remained unmoved.

Historically, once the prime minister died, he realized that the only person with the magnanimity to reinstate him had died, and he died of illness with regret, which was much more dignified than Yang Yi, who said, "If I had known this would happen, I would have surrendered to Cao Cao."

However, he is narrow-minded, arrogant, power-hungry, often prioritizing personal gain over public duty, fond of pomp and circumstance, and frequently engages in vanity projects while in office, lacking a sense of the bigger picture. And now, though he seems to have repented, how much of it is genuine? Has his true nature truly been hardened?
Liu Shan shook his head inwardly.

The time is far from ripe to reinstate him. We need to further temper his character, especially to ensure that he has fully grasped reality and no longer harbors any improper thoughts based on his status as a "regent minister".

Liu Chan silently watched Li Yan, who lay prostrate on the ground, his thoughts racing. After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, his tone still calm:

"In the southern lands, barbarians mingle, and their loyalty and defection are unpredictable. Li De'ang, the governor of Yijiang, was originally from a prominent family in the south and was familiar with the situation, yet he was still captured by the rebellious barbarians."

"Furthermore, the southern region is characterized by its low-lying and damp mountains and marshes, teeming with insects and snakes, and pervasive miasma. It has always been a place where one has to face death at most. Although Li Qing is originally from an old clan in Nanyang and has lived in Shu for many years, he is ultimately of northern constitution."

"If we suddenly venture deep into the barren lands, where the water and soil clash fiercely, and we contract an epidemic, and even if there is a one in ten thousand chance of something going wrong... then the court and the public will talk about how I exiled Minister Li to the barren lands. Wouldn't I then bear the infamy of mistreating a trusted minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor?"

Li Yan sensed the emperor's refusal and felt a chill in his heart. He wanted to plead again, saying that he was not afraid of the lowly and damp places, tigers, bears, snakes, insects, or barbarian weapons, and that he would explain to the officials that he had voluntarily requested to serve in the south.

However, after hesitating for a moment, the Emperor waved his hand, a hint of weariness on his face, and said, "I already know what you mean, Minister Li. There's no need for further words. The country has been in turmoil lately, and I'm quite tired from all the running around. You should go back now." Li Yan suddenly remembered his wife's earlier words telling him not to linger at the palace gates, and immediately understood that tonight could only end here. So he dared not say anything more, but bowed deeply and left the Xuan Shi Hall dejectedly.

After Li Yan left, Liu Shan composed himself and ordered a eunuch in the palace to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau and summon the chief physician to the palace for an audience.

The Imperial Physician had already gone to sleep when he suddenly saw a eunuch from the Emperor's side arrive in the dead of night. He was terrified and hurriedly grabbed his medicine box and rushed to the Xuan Shi Hall.

"Your Majesty!" The Imperial Physician hurriedly bowed upon seeing the Emperor, wondering if there was something wrong with the Empress's pregnancy.

Seeing the Imperial Physician's appearance, Liu Shan suddenly laughed: "Imperial Physician, there's no need to panic. No one in the palace is ill. I summoned you here to ask you about the current condition of Zhang Yi, the Commandant of Guanghan, who suffers from the 'White Tiger Joint Pain' ailment."

Last year, when Liu Shan was conquering Shangyong, he met Zhang Yi, who was in charge of escorting the grain supplies. He learned that Zhang Yi's gout was very serious but he had no money for treatment. So he issued an imperial edict to order the imperial physician to treat him.

The imperial physician was initially taken aback, but then visibly relaxed, even showing a hint of joy, before bowing forward:

"Your Majesty!

"Commander Zhang's Baihu Lijun disease is mostly caused by phlegm and dampness stagnation in the body, resulting in poor blood circulation."

"I have already administered acupuncture to Commandant Zhang to clear his meridians and relieve his pain for more than a month."

"On the eve of his departure, he prescribed a formula to purge turbidity, remove blood stasis, unblock the meridians, and relieve pain, and prepared enough medicine for the next year, mainly using Smilax glabra, Dioscorea hypoglauca, peach kernel, and safflower... and handed it over to Commander Zhang."

"If Commandant Zhang strictly abstains from certain foods, such as animal liver, oysters, shrimp, and crab, and reduces his intake of meat and alcohol, and takes his medicine on time, his 'white tiger' syndrome should be greatly relieved. Although it is difficult to say that it will be completely cured, he should be able to walk and ride a horse without any major problems in his daily life."

Liu Shan nodded, bestowed a bolt of Shu brocade upon the Imperial Physician, and sent him home to sleep. Only then did his gaze turn to his secretary, Lang Xizheng, who was recording the events, and he had already made his decision.
"Lingxian, draft an imperial edict for me."

Secretary Lang Xizheng immediately held his breath and focused his attention.

Liu Shan pondered for a moment, then said:

"I have heard that Zhang Yi, the Commandant of Guanghan, is loyal and diligent in serving the king and has repeatedly made meritorious contributions."

"In the past, he quelled the bandits in Guanghan Mountain with both wisdom and courage. He held a banquet to behead them and brought peace to the area within ten days, ensuring the safety of the supply lines for the Northern Expedition."

"Later, he supervised the transport of grain and fodder, traveling between Jiange, Jinniu, Hanzhong, and Shangyong, and never missed a deadline. He also assisted Prefect He Zhi in managing the affairs of the prefecture and made many achievements."

"He was of pure and honest character, had no surplus wealth, and was loyal and devoted to the country. He was truly a pillar of the state."

"Zhang Yi is hereby transferred to the position of Prefect of Yuexi, with the additional title of General of Pacification of the South. Upon receipt of this decree, he shall immediately take over military affairs in Guanghan, first proceed to Chengdu to report to me, and then go to Yuexi to assume his post."

In fact, Liu Shan did not have a very deep impression of Zhang Yi, only remembering that he had been assigned to Nanzhong in the historical timeline and had achieved good political results.

At this moment, Li Hui and Ma Zhong were both tied up, Li Yan was temporarily unavailable, and the south really needed a person with both literary and military skills to pacify it. He suddenly thought of Zhang Yi, who had once stood with him.

It can only be said that Liu Shan's memory was indeed intact.

Zhang Yi is skilled in both civil and military affairs, and is also knowledgeable about the customs of the barbarians, making him the best candidate to pacify the southern regions at present.

In the original timeline, because Zhang Yi, the next governor of Yijiang, enforced the law very strictly, he lost the favor of the southern barbarians, which led to the rebellion of the powerful Liu Zhou.

Zhang Yi was unable to quell the rebellion, so the court summoned him back and dispatched Ma Zhong to replace him. Zhang Yi followed Ma Zhong to quell the rebellion, fought bravely, took the lead, and killed Liu Zhou, thus bringing peace to the southern lands.

Not long after, the Zangke and Xinggu Liao tribes rebelled again, and Ma Zhong ordered Zhang Yi to lead various camps to suppress them.

Zhang Yi not only pacified the region, but also recruited more than two thousand people from the local area to surrender and sent them all to Hanzhong to join the Han Dynasty's Northern Expeditionary Army.

The four prefectures in the south were thus brought to peace.

Due to prolonged turmoil, Yuexi suffered extensive damage in all aspects of the city. Zhang Yi used both kindness and force, promising benefits and consequences, to recruit barbarians to repair the city walls. Surprisingly, the southern barbarians all trusted Zhang Yi.

During his fifteen years in Nanzhong, the region was peaceful and the people lived in harmony. When he was summoned back to Chengdu by the imperial court, the local Yi people saw him off at the farewell ceremony, some of them weeping. When he passed through the Maoniu Qiang, the Maoniu Qiang king led his people to welcome him and pursued Zhang Yi all the way to Shu County. More than a hundred Maoniu Qiang leaders, both big and small, joined his army.

However, he came from a poor background and was too young. If he did not gain Liu Shan's favor, it would be a long time before he could rise to prominence.

...

Late at night, Li Yan walked alone.

It was already past midnight when I got home.

His wife was still waiting under the lamp.

Seeing that Li Yan returned dejected, she didn't ask any more questions. She simply served him a bowl of hot soup to warm him up and told him to rest early.

Li Yan drank the hot soup to dispel the coldness in his stomach, and then told his wife in detail about his meeting with the emperor and the emperor's reply to him.

After listening, Madam Li pondered for a moment. Instead of being disappointed, her eyes brightened slightly: "My husband, in my opinion, this matter may not be so bad."

Li Yan was stunned:

"Why do you say that, Madam? His Majesty clearly does not wish to reinstate me, this disgraced subject."

Madam Li shook her head and affirmed:
“If His Majesty truly hated you so much, he would never have summoned you in the middle of the night.”

"Since His Majesty was willing to see you and listen to your story, and even declined at the end on the grounds of concern for your life, death and well-being, it shows that His Majesty has not completely abandoned you."

"Otherwise, he could have simply dismissed you with a 'never to be employed' statement. Why say more? Perhaps... this is precisely His Majesty's consideration for you."

"My husband must not be discouraged by this, or even harbor resentment."

"Be sure to be careful with your words and actions, and wait for the right opportunity. The Prime Minister believes that you will consult with Chief Secretary Jiang on matters of state. If you gain any insights, do not worry about saving face and take the initiative to consult with Chief Secretary Jiang."

"His Majesty instructed you to purchase national bonds as soon as possible, so you should have gone to queue up earlier and subscribed in order. This time you took the initiative to propose to take the barren land in the south, but His Majesty did not allow it. However, you can still inquire about the situation in the south from Chief Secretary Jiang, weigh the pros and cons, and offer your best advice. Only in this way can there be hope for a comeback."

Li Yan remained silent for a long time.

Recalling his journey from being appreciated and valued by the late emperor to being entrusted with the care of the young emperor, and then being demoted due to his inflated ego and inappropriate actions, his heart was filled with endless regret and bitterness. Finally, he let out a long sigh, nodded heavily, and was glad that although he was arrogant and foolish, he had not caused any great disaster.

(End of this chapter)